Best Family Lawyer in Santa Clara County, CA
Gina Szeto-Wong
Family Lawyer
For more than a decade, Gina has successfully litigated family law, civil rights, and employment cases in state and federal court.
Gina’s cases have been featured on local and national media outlets including ABC News, NPR, and Hawaii News Now, among others.
Before founding Szeto-Wong Law, Gina was a trial attorney for a civil litigation firm specializing in civil rights, employment, and family law cases. Prior to that, Gina was a staff attorney at the Asian Law Caucus in San Francisco.
Gina is bilingual (English/Cantonese) and is an active volunteer for civil liberties organizations including the Equal Justice Society, Asian Law Caucus, and Legal Aid at Work.
Education
- J.D., University of California, Berkeley School of Law
- B.S., highest honors, University of California, Berkeley
Federal Clerkships
- Law Clerk, The Honorable Kenneth J. Mansfield, U.S. District Court
Bar & Professional Memberships
- State Bar of California
- State Bar of Hawai‘i
James J. Hoover
Family Lawyer
As a Certified Family Law Specialist, Mr. Hoover represents clients in all aspects of family law litigation, including but not limited to, domestic violence, child custody and visitation, property identification, characterization, valuation and division, spousal support, child support, breaches of fiduciary duties, reimbursement claims, dates of separation, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements and related matters. After many years of experience, Mr. Hoover skillfully settles and if necessary, litigates all of these issues.
Mr. Hoover educates, advocates, and acts in our clients’ best interests on these issues. He pays particular attention to our clients’ emotional and financial difficulties. Some of James’s press releases, media, and publications includes:
James J. Hoover attended Santa Clara University, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s degree in accounting; minor in economics, in 1998. In 2001, Mr. Hoover graduated Summa Cum Laude from Santa Clara University School of Law. He ranked 4th in his class of over 200 students, receiving “top of the class” CALI Awards in the following classes: Contracts, Torts, Commercial Transactions, Wills and Trusts, Dispute Resolution, and Criminal Procedure.
Given his experience, expertise, and common sense, Mr. Hoover has facilitated family law matters as a mediator.
Amiel Wade
Family Lawyer
Amiel is the firm’s Founder, President and Managing Partner. He specializes in civil litigation, conducting jury trials in complex cases and in helping individuals and businesses in every phase of their development. He has been practicing law for over twenty-five years. He also has served as both a judge pro tem and an arbitrator for the Santa Clara County Superior Court, and has guest lectured at Stanford University.
Wade has also received the prestigious Martindale Hubble Client Distinction award for receiving the requisite number of client reviews that average 4.8 or better on a scale from 1 to 5. Less than 4% of the 900,000+ attorneys listed on martindale.com and lawyers.com have been awarded this Martindale-Hubbell honor of distinction. Wade also has a 10.0 avvo rating, which is the highest rating given by the independent attorney lawyer rating firm, Avvo. To read more about the Wade Law Group Difference
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Wade served as a San Jose Police Officer for four years. He is also a black belt in Karate.
Wade’s experience as a trial attorney has led him to successfully represent clients as chief counsel in both jury trials and non-jury trials involving complex litigation cases. He has developed a reputation as being a tenacious, savvy and sophisticated trial attorney who savors going into battle for his clients. Wade has represented clients in both pre-litigation disputes, mediation and arbitration matters. He also has represented clients in both commercial and serious personal injury cases. He has extensive expertise in conducting negotiations, and has negotiated multi-million dollar disputes, lawsuits and business contracts.
Emily J. Hepner
Family Lawyer
Emily is passionate about helping her clients navigate through what can be a very stressful and confusing time in their lives. She strives for compassionate and effective legal representation to guide each client through the family law process. Emily enjoys working with individuals and families to solve real-life problems with empathy, patience, and sympathy. Her focus is on developing creative legal solutions with a human touch.
Emily is originally from Gilroy, California. She attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, where she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Entrepreneurship. As a Bay Area native, she returned to obtain her Juris Doctor Degree from the Santa Clara School of Law. While in law school, Emily participated in Honors Moot Court, wherein she competed nationally amongst other law schools. Emily’s team placed first amongst the region and in the top 10 amongst the national finals.
Emily has successfully represented clients in a broad range of complex family law matters, gaining extensive experience solving issues such as high-asset property division, custody and visitation, paternity, grandparents’ visitation, pre and post marital agreements and a wide range of child and spousal support issues. Emily prides herself on her commitment to an open line of communication with her clients and recognizes the need to keep clients fully informed of all aspects of their cases. Her love of the mediation process has enabled her to think outside the box and develop settlements that benefit the client.
If you are in need of skilled and caring legal representation, she can guide you through the legal process. Emily is an excellent advocate with a wealth of real-life experience. She understands that family law is about more than just solving legal issues. It is personal. She takes the time each client needs to understand the issue and the possible solutions and outcomes.
As a Bay Area native, Emily loves every aspect of what the golden state has to offer. From hiking scenic trails, skiing the beautiful mountains, and to sinking her feet into the sand at local beaches, outdoors is where Emily prefers to be. She also enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with her fiancé, daughters, and dogs.
Betty Y. Mac
Family Lawyer
Bay area native Betty Y. Mac studied law at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, CA, where she graduated at the top of her class. She was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2009. Ms. Mac received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley, in Anthropology.
Prior to joining the Law Office of Daniel Jensen LLP, Ms. Mac worked for law firms in both Los Angeles and San Francisco, concentrating on family law and civil litigation. Her background includes an extensive knowledge of family law, with an emphasis on complex, pre-marital agreements and high-asset marital dissolutions. She also focuses on civil litigation, including contract disputes, business litigation, and landlord tenant actions. As a thoughtful and passionate attorney, she will get to know the details of your case and tirelessly advocate for you.
Ms. Mac is currently a partner at the Law Office of Daniel Jensen LLP, where she practices mostly family law and civil litigation. She is bilingual in Mandarin Chinese and English, and is a member of the Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area and the Asian Pacific American Bar Associates of Silicon Valley. In her spare time, she enjoys being with her family and two dogs.
Gopal Krishan
Family Lawyer
Allied Legal PC / Law Office of Gopal Krishan is a full service law firm with the special focus on Family Laws, US Immigration Laws, and India-US Estate Planning. Contact us if you have any questions on the USA immigration laws, Estate Planning, or if you need any legal help in India .
We believe in “No Surprise Later” and “Educated Consent” strategies.
Out of the Box Approach – We comprehend the significance of your need and significance of our work. We will do everything conceivable to make us helpful. Period.
Reasonable – We are exceptionally affordable and can with an hourly rate or flat fee.
James Chau
Family Lawyer
We have been notified that we have joined and will work with the legal counsel of the Office of the Attorney General Teresa Thu Hương, P.C. In the past, we have worked together with LS Thu Hương’s advisors in many cases. Thu Hương is a lawyer with more than 16 years of experience in the industry. Law Firm James Chau, P.C. là yịnh văn phưng tranh tịng law gia định rich kinhổi vịnh 15 năm kinhổi. LS Châu is a certified legal specialist in family law, certified by the State of California. With a relationship with a lawyer who has more than 31 years of experience in the profession, you will definitely be protected to the maximum extent of your rights.
Cases we handle: Law of Family Law – Ly hôn, Ly thân hồp pháp, Liện lại tập hạp, Lội lại con cái, Quyến lội con, Phến chia tài sạn, đến hạng trong gia định. Tranh tịng kinh đượng và dân sự – Hòa lườc các tranh tịng, Vi được hợp đồng và Tranh tịng kinh đượng và dân sự – Hòa lườc các tranh tịng, Vi đảo hảng đồng và Tranh tịng khảng đồng kinh đượng, Thu Đại đội, Bảo bảo đồng. Law Not trú – Trở thịc công dân Hoa Kỳ, Dủn bầu tọn thân nhân tấn nước ouộn, Thaydịi tình lước di trú, visa H1B, visa EB5, Bảo trần if bải đến đến. Thường và động bải tài liệu pháp lý – hồng đồng kinh đượng, hồng đồng lao đượng, cho đồng, tại thộ, đại tụy hộng, dấi tên. SSI Di chúc và tôy tạc – Lập kến hại nhật động sắn, Di chúc sạn, Tạc thức gia đếnh, Lạp định kến tài sạn. Conclusion –Chapter 7 and chapter 13 Thường tích cá nhấn – Taiện tạng mội và / ồại dân sộ, Taiện xe cộ, Yết,
Arlette Argyris
Family Lawyer
Arlette is a Family Law Specialist as certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Arlette completed her law degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law in 2010. Prior to earning her J.D., she received a B.A. in History and a B.A. in International and Area Studies at the University of Oklahoma. She is admitted to practice law in the State of California and the State of Oklahoma.
Arlette has solely practiced family law since 2010. Her family law experience began prior to graduating from law school when she worked as a law clerk at the family law firm of Cindy Allen and Associates, PLLC. After graduating from law school, Arlette worked as an associate attorney at Cindy Allen and Associates, PLLC in Norman, Oklahoma where she continued to gain valuable experience in the field of family law.
Prior to founding Argyris Mah, LLP with her law partner and friend, following a move with her husband to California, Arlette worked at a San Jose family law firm, where she was able to enhance her skills as an advocate for her clients by appearing in court to argue motions, attending mediations and fostering settlement agreements between the parties. She represented clients in all areas of family law, including divorce, legal separation, annulment, custody and visitation, support, complex property division, and domestic violence.
Arlette is committed to advocating for clients while understanding the difficulty and stress that they are facing. Even prior to graduation from law school Arlette knew that she was devoted to the practice of family law and to helping clients move past a challenging part of their lives. She works to ensure that they have full knowledge and understanding of the law and can move forward to obtain the best outcome possible.
Drafting Effective Prenuptial Agreements in California: Key Considerations
When drafting a prenuptial agreement in California, there are several important factors to keep in mind to ensure it is enforceable and effective. Here are the key considerations:
1. Timing and Disclosure
- The final draft of the prenup must be presented to the other party at least 7 calendar days before signing.
- Full disclosure of all assets, liabilities, income and debts must be provided by each party.
- Failure to meet the 7-day rule or provide full financial disclosure can invalidate the prenup.
2. Independent Legal Counsel
- Each party must have their own independent attorney review the prenup
- If one party waives their right to an attorney, that party cannot receive spousal support under the prenup
- Having separate lawyers ensures each party understands their rights and the agreement is fair
3. Scope and Limitations
- A prenup can cover a wide range of financial matters like asset division, debt allocation, and spousal support
- However, it cannot dictate child custody, child support, or require illegal acts.
- Prenups also cannot include unfair, unjust or deceptive terms.
4. Formalities and Updates
- The prenup must be a written contract signed by both parties.
- It should be notarized to be fully valid and enforceable.
- Couples should review and update the prenup periodically to keep it current.
5. Fairness and Consideration
- The agreement should be balanced and fair to both parties.
- Providing some consideration, like a payment or asset, can help show the agreement is not one-sided.
- Accepting the benefits of the prenup makes it harder for a party to later argue it is unfair.
By keeping these key considerations in mind, couples can draft a prenuptial agreement in California that is comprehensive, enforceable and protects both parties’ interests. Working with experienced family law attorneys is highly recommended to ensure the prenup is properly structured.